7 Pieces of Sax Gear I am Obsessed With
We all have toys. As musicians, we love them. I remember being in undergrad and watching everyone obsess over how their Doctor Beat improved their sense of time. Meanwhile, I was locked away with my trusty five-dollar Korg metronome, telling myself they wasted their money. Gear sometimes has an effect; that effect makes us feel better about locking ourselves in a practice room for hours on end. Sometimes the carrot is far more effective than the stick. It seems < 200-dollar carrots are particularly effective. Here are seven pieces of gear that keep me going back to the woodshed.
Key Leaves Saxophone Key Props ($19.99)
I believe in Key Leaves. Who isn't terrified to play in public during heavy humidity and risk a sticky G# key? I'm sure you've blamed a wrong note on a sticky key (who hasn't during a scale jury), but some of these sax keys are real flaky if not given proper attention. I first got my hands on a set of Key Leaves Key Props for my alto sax in January 2019. I must admit I was not a staunch user… at first. I had trouble figuring out how to prop open the pads properly, and they became unused for over a year. Key Leaves recommends swabbing your horn after every session in tandem with the key props. It felt like a losing battle considering my horn hadn't had serious work done in over a decade. Once I overhauled my alto in the summer of 2020, I began using my key leaves regularly (along with a good swabbing). It has been over a year, and I must say I haven't noticed any consistent sticking. I use my Key Props specifically for the C# key (which also vents the G#) and my Eb key. I also invested in the Key Props for my brand-new soprano. I appreciate the soprano Key Props come with a sander to make sure the prop works perfectly with any horn. The key leaves for both horns sit comfortably in my alto and soprano case and, when venting correctly, cause zero damage to my keys.
2. Jazzlab Saxholder Pro ($50)
I'm not too fond of neckstraps. I'm short; need I say more (I will regardless)? Most straps never seem to tighten to a high enough length without choking me out, leaving me with a slouched back and a sore right thumb to make up the difference. I had been looking for years for something that both looked good and felt great. Well, I gave up. The Saxholder Pro may not look the flashiest, but it works just as advertised. It displaces the weight of my alto sax and keeps my posture relaxed and spine slouch-free. The shoulder rest can be adjusted to fit your frame best, and the length adjustment lock allows you to securely lock the lower brace where you find it most comfortable. It also hides well under a suit coat. I will note I was unable to use the strap with my straight bell soprano. The cord would rub against my right hand and just wasn't comfortable. The Saxholder Pro folds down into a relatively small size, considering how bulky it is, but it does not fit it into my case, so it remains in the small bag included with the product. It also contains an additional replacement cord if you damage the neck strap.
3. Soundbrenner Pulse ($99)
I love my Soundbrenner Pulse. This device is fantastic. It is fun, effective, and perfectly sinks to the app, so there is zero delay between the wearable and the phone visuals. The vibration on your wrist is a game-changer. It removes the auditory and visual elements, so you feel the beat. After a very brief adjustment period (a week or so), I noticed catching my inaccuracies with tempo more consistently. Everything from scale pattern work to rep has felt more effective when working with the Pulse. I will say I find myself recharging the battery more than I would like, but I guess that means I use it a lot. Be on the lookout for my full review of the Pulse.
4. Bose Sport Earbuds ($179)
My Bose Sport Earbuds are essential in my practice routine. Whether practicing or running errands, I constantly have an earbud in at least one ear. What I find most helpful with my Bose Sport Earbuds are tuning exercises. I hate blasting the tuning CD for the world to hear while I practice and find it just as effective to crank up Dr. Richard A. Schwatz's The Tuning C.D. (A=440) on Spotify and have at it. Able to quickly repeat tracks with the touch of my phone and have solid sound quality right in my ear while not affecting the soundscape of my saxophone playing. It also allows me to use the tunable app without being affected by the tuning CD, which is a huge plus. I will also put both headphones in to act as earplugs while playing altissimo in small spaces. You rarely find me in a practice room without one of these earbuds in. I should also mention Bose did a great job slimming down the size of the case, increasing the battery life, and lowering the price point on the second version (This is my second pair).
5. Silverstein Cryo4 Alto Saxophone Ligature ($210)
Back to saxophone-specific gear, I had to shout out my new favorite ligature. The Silverstein Cryo4 is incredible. It gives me exactly what I want in a ligature mimicking the best qualities of both metal and leather ligatures. I provide a full video review of this on my youtube here, but overall this ligature feels excellent on most of my mouthpieces, and I feel in control when playing my lower and upper range. Effortless isn't the right word for this ligature, but it's damn close.
6. Ipad 6th gen ($242)
I know it seems like a lot of tech is on this article, and if you aren't a techie, I apologize. Up until the last year, most of these items wouldn't even be on this list. But don't knock it until you try it. I began using an Ipad for rehearsals and performances back in the fall of 2020, and I can't see myself going back. It takes up infinitely less space when traveling. It keeps my music safe at home, where it won't get wrinkled or coffee stained. When combined with the right apps, it makes rehearsing with paper feel archaic. I use ForScore to archive, edit and read my music along with an apple pencil for quick edits (make sure your apple pencil is charged). I use upgraded cloud storage to easily navigate between my mac laptop, iPhone, and iPad. Hence, the stock 32 gigs of memory works for me, and 9.7 inches is a big enough screen to get the job done, but if you can upgrade to a pro, I would go that route.
7. AirTurn Duo ($99)
This little device should probably be included in the iPad add-ons, but it deserves its own shoutout. The AirTurn Duo is a blue tooth peddle that connects with the iPad (or any tablet or phone) and allows you to turn your pages without touching the screen. I used to request six music stands for a performance like a badge of honor, but now it just seems silly. The AirTurn Duo has a battery life too long for me to gauge. I didn't notice myself having to charge it after two months of use. The peddle hasn't failed me yet in rehearsals or performance, and you can always tap the screen if necessary. I know it can also incorporate other functionality, but I use it for turning pages for now. I have gotten so used to turning pages this way I find my foot reaching out to tap the floor subconsciously when using hard copies.
Honorable Mention Reed Geek ($69.95)
I have one; I don't leave my house without it… but I've never actually used it. Check out my blog post on my reed breaking-in process here and see why I haven't found much need for my Reed Geek. It's small, compact, and everyone I respect swears by it. I keep telling myself I will start experimenting with it soon, but I just haven't found the need for it yet. I'm still glad I have it in case of reedmergencies (see what I see there?).
Note:
I want to mention that I none of these are affiliate links and I was not asked to review these items. They are gear I appreciate using and hope others will find utility in them as well.
